Swimming device.



J. H. PICKEN. SWIMMING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1913.

Patented Aug. 25, 191i $2 #7474 Fl/f/4 s i Attorneys THE AoRms PETERS ca. FHOTOLITHDH wAsulNGmN, 0 1:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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Specification of Letters Patent; Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

Application filed February 12, 1913. Sc1'ia1No./F4B, 005

To all whom it may con-0cm Be it known that 1, JAMES H. PIOKEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and swimmer, by the natural movements of the body, and particularly, by the natural movements of the legs may actuate the propeller.

The invention aimsto provide novel means whereby the movements of the legs of the operator may be transmitted tothe propeller to actuate the same.

Another object of the. invention is toprovideinovel means for operatively connecting the pedal with the actuating shaft which carrie the propeller. Itiswithin the scope of. the invention to improve generallyand to increase the utility of, devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of inventlon herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing :-Figure 1 shows the invention in side elevation, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a transverse section; Fig. 3 is a fragmental longitudinal section; Fig. 4 is an elevationshowing an auxiliary struc ture adapted to be connected with the foot or leg of the operator; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the bracket employed in connection with that element of the invention which appears in Fig. ,4; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the bracket shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a sectional detail showing the slight modification in the invention.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a frame denoted generally by the numeral 1. This frame 1 which constitutes a support for the movable portions of the structure, is a composite member comprising telescopic sections 2 and 3 held against relative movement by a set screw l or in any other suitable manner, the telescopic sections :2 and 3 permitting an elongation of the frame 1 whereby the frame may be used by persons of dili'erent statures. The section 2 is provided with ears 5 to which straps 6 are attached. 1 The straps (i may be crossed upon the back of the wearer and thenconnected across the breast, to hold one end of the frame 1 in place. A body encircling strap 7 is, shown, the same being heldndetacl'lably by means of a clamp 8 upon the section 3.

The section 3 is equipped atits rear end with a conical bearing 10 and with a socket 9, one end of a casing 11 being rcmcvably held in the socket 9. The detachable connection between the parts 9 and 11 is desirable to permit the insertion of the actuating shaft hereinafter described. A set screw 12 may be employed for uniting the casing 11 with the socket 9. At the rear end of the casing 11 i formed a conical bearing 14. In oppo:

siteside of walls of thecasing llare longitudinally extended slots 15 and located inwardly of the slots 15 are flanges 16, the flanges 16 serving to define guides 17;. H

A shaft 18 is located in the casing 11 and is provided at one end with a conical o'urnal l9 engaged in the, bearing 14: of the casing, 11, the shaft being provided at its opposite end with ;a conical journal 20 which is mounted inthe bearing 10 of the socket 9.

By the cooperation. of the parts above den scribed, longitudinal movement of the shaft 18 is prevented,although the same may rotate freely. The shaft 18 is equippcd with an extension 21 whichis prolonged through the bearing 14,there belng a propeller wheel 22 secured to the extremity of the extension 21.

The shaft 18 which may take the form of a groove 23. The thread or groove 23 i of constantly decreasing pitch in the direction of thepropeller 22. a

A pair of actuating structures are slidable upon the casing 11, and one of these actuat ing structures will be described. in detail. Each actuatingstructure comprises a: support in the form of a plate or, the support being mounted to slide 1.5.11 the guides 17. A shaft 29 is provided, one end of which, denotcdby the numeral 30, is squared and is held against rotation in the plate 24:. H The shaft 29, however, may slide longitudinally in the plate 24L. The inner end 30 of the shaft 29 registers in the groove orthjread 23 of the actuating shaft 18. Thepedal comsurrounded by a thread prise a pair of plates 26 located upcnoppo- 1 site sides of the shaft 25. The inner ends of the plates 26 which constitute the pedal are connected by a bearing 28 which is journaled for rotation on the shaft 29. The outer ends of the plates 26 are connected by a bearing 27 which is journaled for rotation in a collar 27 a formed upon the upper end of a brace 35, the lower end of which extends into the slot 15 of the casing 11 and is connected with the plate 24. Y

Interengaging elements are provided whereby, when the pedal, comprising the plates 26, is tilted, longitudinal movement will be imparted to the shaft 29, thereby to withdraw th end 30 of the shaft out of engagement with the thread or groove 23 in the actuating shaft 18. To this end, the adjacent, inner edges of the plates 26 are grooved diagonally as shown at 31, the

grooves 31 receiving a rib 32 secured to or formed integrally with the shaft 29. A strap 34 extends transversely of the pedal, so

, as to hold the foot of the operator thereon.

; portion of the groove or thread 23.

The practical operation of the device is as follows :Presupposing that the structure is assembled with the body of the wearer, when the pedals 26 are thrust in the direction of the propeller 22, the plate 24 will slide in the guides 17. The inner end 30 of the shaft 29, engaging in the thread 23 of the shaft 18 will impart rotatory movement to the shaft, the propeller 22 being actuated. Owing to the fact that the thread 23 is of constantly decreasing pitch in the direction of the propeller 22, the rearward movement of the foot of'the operator will be cushioned as the inner end 30 of the shaft 29 travels in the (pear onversely, because the thread 23 of the shaft 18 is of constantly increasing pitch in the direction of the forward end of the structure, a forward movement of th foot of the operator may be accomplished without difficulty. At the end of the rearward movement of the foot of the operator, the pedal 26 may be tilted slightly, whereupon the rib 32, engaging in the slot 31, will move the shaft 29 longitudinally, a rotation of the shaft being prevented because the squared end 30 of the shaft is engaged against rotation on the plate 34. By the operation above described, the inner end 30 of the shaft 29 iwill be drawn out of the groove or thread 23 when the foot of the operator is pulled forwardly. Consequently, the forward move-, ment of the foot of the operator will be im peded to a relatively small degree.

The invention may include an auxiliary structure, adapted to be assembled with the foot or leg of the swimmer and shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. In carrying out thi portion of the invent-ion, a support S is provided, this support being of any desired form. As shown, the support is of U-shape and the arms of the support are connected by slot 38 defining a shoulder 39. Pivoted to the bracket 37 as indicated at 40 is a fin 41.

. A relatively weak spring 42 is secured at one end to the bracket 37 and at the other end bears against the fin 41 to hold the fin 41 in outstanding position and in abutment with the shoulder 39. During the backward stroke of the foot of the operator, the fin 41 will abut against the shoulder 39 and remain in outstanding position, to offer the necessary resistance. hen the foot of the operator is drawnforwardly, the fin 41 will fold rearwardly against the upport S. The spring 42 serves to start the fin 41out of parallelism with the support S. Further, when the operator is out of the Water and is walking upon the ground, the spring 42 will maintain the fin 41 in outstanding position, as shown in Fig. 4 and consequently, the lower or outer end of the fin 41 will not drag upon the ground and prevent the operator from walking about. i i 1 -Referring to Fig. '7, the frame is denoted by the numeral 50 and may be provided with" detachable, longitudinally extended resistance plates 51, the plates 51 if desired being provided with spindle shaped floats 52. "The function of theresistance plate is to limit the lateral movement of the frame due to the foot thrust of the operator and to hold the device steady in the water.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a frame; a shaft j ournaled inthe frame and a propeller operable by the shaft, the shaft having a thread, the pitch of which decreases in the direction of the propeller; and an actuating structure slidable upon the frame and engaged with the thread.

2. In a device of the class described, a 3

frame; a shaft journaled in the frame and a propeller operable by the shaft, the shaft having a thread; a support mounted to slide on the frame; a shaft engaging the thread and held in the support for right line movement; a pedal held to the support for sliding movement with the support and mounted to tilt with respect to the last specified shaft; and interengaging elements upon the last specified shaft and the pedalfor imparting right line movement to the shaft when the pedal is tilted, thereby to withdraw the said shaft from engagement with the thread.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame; a shaft journaled in the frame and a propeller operable by the shaft, the shaft having a thread the pitch of which'decreases in the direction of the propeller a support mounted to slide on the frame; a shaft engaging the thread and held in the support for right line movement; a pedal held to the support for sliding movement with the support and mounted to tilt with respect to the last specified shaft; and interengaging elements upon the last specified shaft and the pedal for imparting right line movement to said shaft, when the pedal is tilted, thereby to disengage the said shaft from the thread.

4. In a device of the class described, a frame; a shaft journaled in the frame and a propeller operable by the shaft; the shaft being provided with a thread; actuating structures slidable upon the frame and including opposed movable elements under the control of the operator and engaged with the thread and selectively disengageable from the thread for simultaneous reciprocation in opposite directions.

5. In a device of the class described, a frame; a shaft journaled on the frame and a propeller operable by the shaft, the shaft havlng a thread; an actuating structure Slldable upon the frame and including a movable member operable at an angle to the axis of the shaft, the actuating structure including a tiltable pedal; and means for operatively connecting the pedal with the movable member whereby, when the pedal is tilted, the movable member will be brought into and out of engagement with the thread upon the shaft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. PICKEN. Witnesses:

JOHN L. MANar-IAN, W. G. MoonnHEAD.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. G. 

